Snow disintegrator



y 7, 1959 L. L. JANOUSEK 2,893,377

sN'ow DISINTEGRATOR Filed Aug. 51, 1956 /5 Mp l wATEP sN6w BURNER SPRAY PLOW DE is s'EwEP FLEC 1 T I INVENTOR.

28 3? L L. Jana seiz v STORAGE WATER B m% I TANK PUMP United States Patent Ofifice 2,893,377 Patented July 7, 1959 SNOW DISINTEGRATOR Ladik L. Janousek, Gregory, S. Dak.

Application August 31, 1956, Serial No. 607,374

a 1 Claim. (Cl. 126-3435) The present invention generally appertains to improvements'in machines and means for removing snow from roadways, and is particularly directed to a new and novel snow remover, which functions to remove and melt the snow so that it can be easily disposed of.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a self-contained unit for removing snow from a roadway and melting the snow in a complete and quick manner and storing the resultant water in a storage tank on the unit.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide means for saturating the snow with water, as the picked up snow is being carried toward a burner means and to deliver the saturated snow under a high velocity to the burner means so that air is mixed with the snow to give the burner means a high heat and so as to prevent the snow from lowering the temperature of the burner means.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a compact, simple, inexpensive and easily operated snow remover and dissolver.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following detailed description thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the instant device, shown in a position of use and having certain parts thereof broken away and others depicted in section for more fully illustrating the essential parts of the device.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the instant device in a position of use.

Figure 3 is a flow chart showing the steps in the operation of the device when in use.

As presently practiced in the removal of snow and the like resultant from snow storms and the such on city streets and roadways, the present practice is to employ a snow plow to move the snow into piles, rows, or the like, preparatory to having a loader pick up the accumulated snow, deposit the same in dump trucks; the dump trucks moving the snow to some isolated place where it will remain until warm weather melts the snow and it drains away. This practice is time-consuming and expensive, and requires three operations involving three vehicles and numerous men to operate the vehicles, and furthermore is a rather slow process for removing snow.

The instant device obviates the difiiculties of such practice by providing in one machine a device which scoops up the snow and melts the snow into water and stores the water until it can be deposited down the city sewers. In this manner, considerable time is saved, since there is no waiting for warm weather to melt the snow and discard the same, and therefore is a more eflicient and economical operation.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be found applicable.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the snow remover and dissolver 10 includes a truck chassis 12 which is mounted on wheels 14.

A snow plow 15 is transversely mounted at the front end of the chassis and includes a closed end tubular housing 16 which has its lower end extended and shaped to form a scoop 18. A tubular shaft 20 is rotatably journalled in the ends of the housing and has a screw 22 formed thereon from one end of the housing up to a point spaced from the other end providing a screw conveyor. A paddle wheel 24 is mounted on the shaft between the other end and the screw. As shown in Figure 1, a tubular casing 26 extends rearward'ly from one end of the housing 16 in alignment with the paddle wheel.

A storage tank 28 for the melted snow is mounted on the rear of the chassis and is provided with a drain valve 30 for draining off the liquid into a sewer or other disposal place.

A water pump 32 is provided, as shown in Figure 1, and is connected to the forward end of the storage tank by a conduit 34. The pump is actuated by a belt drive 36 from a motor 38 and is provided with an outlet hose 40 that is attached by suitable header means to nozzles 42 which are spaced circumferentially about the upper end of the tubular casing to spray water on the snow and thoroughly saturate it, as it is forced through the tubular casing by the paddle wheel.

The tubular casing 26 communicates with an impeller housing 44 which houses a plurality of impeller blades 46 that are rotated at a high speed by a belt drive 48 from the motor 38. The impeller housing has a horizontally disposed, longitudinally extending outlet section 50 which is aligned and in communication with a burner chamber 52. A plurality of burner jets or nozzles 54 are disposed circumferential'ly around the bell-shaped inlet end of the chamber 52 and are connected by fuel lines 54' to a pump 56 which is driven by the motor 38 and is connected to a fuel tank.

The outlet end of the burner chamber 52 is connected to a downwardly curved tubular deflector 58 which is directed toward the storage tank.

Operation In use, the chassis is moved forwardly to scoop the snow from a roadway. The removed snow is carried by the screw 22 to the paddle wheel through the tubular casing 26 to the impeller housing. As the snow passes from the casing 26 into the impeller housing, the snow is thoroughly saturated with water so that it will conduct heat, since snow by itself is of an insulating nature. The mixture of snow and water is forced under a high velocity into the burner chamber. A considerable amount of air is mixed in with the mixture and the high velocity delivery thereof by the impeller blades causes the snow to be quickly dissolved. The quick ignition of the oxygen in the mixture causes a high heat and the snow is melted into Water of about a degree F. temperature.

The water is deflected by the deflector 58 into the water storage tank 28 which will store a large quantity of water until the water is drained through the valve 30 into a sewer or other disposal place.

The sequence of operational steps is shown in Figure 3.

From the foregoing specification, it will become apa; relatively inexpensive device, considering what it will" accomplish, and that it will find an important place in the, art to'which it appertains when once placed on the market.

It, is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear under standing of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore a more lengthy description is regardedtas unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details and parts such as come within the purview of the in-- vention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if

desired.

What is claimed is:

In a snow disintegrat-or, the combination which compn'ses an elongated tubular burner chamber having a bell-shaped entrance end and a downwardly disposed out-' let end, an impeller housing mounted on the disintegrator and positioned to discharge into the bell-shaped entrance end of the burner chamber, an impeller rotatably mounted.

2,893,377 g. A i n- 4 in the impeller housing for discharging snow into the burner chamber, circumferentially spaced radially disposed nozzles positioned around the inside of the bellshaped end of the burner chamber, means for supplying fuel under pressure to the nozzles, means for rotating the impeller, means for supplying snow to the impeller housing, and a chassis mounted on wheels and upon which the impeller housing and burner chamber are positioned.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 999,445 Friedman Aug. 1, 1911 1,242,433 Friedman Oct. 9, 1917 1,413,007 Curtis Apr. 18, 1922 1,462,527 Tully July 24, 1923 1,739,331 Sidella Dec. 10, 1929 1,742,968 Polak Jan. 7, 1930 2,104,363 Delvin Ian. 4, 1938 2,178,400 Marino Oct. 31, 1939 2,696,814 Townsend Dec. 14, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS I Canada Mar. 25, 1952 U n; mm-s 

